Art of Kansas Home Art of Kansas and the Region

Find four things in this painting from these categories: color, line, shape.

How has the artist created the feeling of deep space?
(Road leads eye almost to the horizon line; tall building on hill breaks the horizon line and takes us immediately to the sky)

Asymmetrical balance is when a work of art is not the same on both sides. Symmetrical balance is when the work of art is the same on both sides.

Is this painting symmetrically or asymmetrically balanced?
What helps to balance the large buildings on the hill? (Complex shapes of town, solid color of river)

What is the point of view in this painting?

Do you think this was painted quickly, with just a sketchy impression of the scene, or did the artist take time to include detail and to make a careful representation of what he saw?

This is the earliest known painting of the University of Kansas. James Hess painted it from the second floor of a house at 12th and Oread Streets and gave it to his landlord as payment for his rent.